https://thinkprogress.org/the-mueller-report-is-definitive-russia-meddled-in-the-election-to-help-trump-win-a554ec6a3f4a/?fbclid=IwAR23zPULuXgEWDU11L3M8fs7IgY1iTi-1sw6XyNDLW3JyE8zVDO5X161hI4
"The 448-page report clears up any doubt that Russian efforts had one goal in mind: electing Trump."
News And Opinion About The Republican War On Women And Issues Important To Women
Thursday, May 9, 2019
Barr’s oddest falsehood: Trump ‘fully cooperated’ with Mueller
http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/barrs-oddest-falsehood-trump-fully-cooperated-mueller?fbclid=IwAR1ApBp9AVzZsr1u-p1QzcGD3RWs8lGluaPwMpawKJutFGwpvVIeIGYeuvo
"It’s an odd argument because it’s so plainly and demonstrably false. For one thing, the Mueller report documents, in striking detail, the many instances in which the president took steps to obstruct the investigation – even meeting the statutory threshold for criminal obstruction of justice. Not to put too fine a point on this, one can interfere with an investigation or one can cooperate with an investigation, but to do both is an impossibility. But that’s not the only the problem. We also know that the president refused to sit down with investigators, and when he agreed to answer written questions, Trump’s answers were deemed “inadequate” – and in some cases, “incomplete or imprecise”– by Mueller and his team. This isn’t “full cooperation.” It’s the opposite."
"It’s an odd argument because it’s so plainly and demonstrably false. For one thing, the Mueller report documents, in striking detail, the many instances in which the president took steps to obstruct the investigation – even meeting the statutory threshold for criminal obstruction of justice. Not to put too fine a point on this, one can interfere with an investigation or one can cooperate with an investigation, but to do both is an impossibility. But that’s not the only the problem. We also know that the president refused to sit down with investigators, and when he agreed to answer written questions, Trump’s answers were deemed “inadequate” – and in some cases, “incomplete or imprecise”– by Mueller and his team. This isn’t “full cooperation.” It’s the opposite."
William Barr Keeps Lying About Mueller, and People Keep Trusting Him Anyway
http://nymag.com/article/2019/05/barr-lying-mueller-report-trump-russia.html?fbclid=IwAR3gP7Q1LPrmQsyi7BUTOfDw54oPjM6pLp5ApwT1RAj2xdiezvHJWYHi73U
"At worst, Barr perjured himself. At best, he deliberately withheld information in order to give a misleading response."
"At worst, Barr perjured himself. At best, he deliberately withheld information in order to give a misleading response."
Surely It's a Coincidence That a Firm Tied to a Russian Oligarch Is Pouring Millions Into Kentucky
https://www.esquire.com/news-politics/politics/a27259438/oleg-deripaska-kentucky-aluminum-mitch-mcconnell-rand-paul/?fbclid=IwAR1ibddMTfPySAOkmdEf2xgTFaUP-PVMcTwQyV99v-pO--k1p8TDppag2ws
"It seems that Kentucky Governor Matt Bevin was hot to build a new aluminum milling plant, but that the proposed location was not suitable for such a large operation. The cost of finding a new location drained the project's funds. And along came the Volga Bagmen to the rescue. Enter Rusal, a Russian aluminum company that until just three months ago was barred from doing business in the United States in part because of its ties to Deripaska. The Trump administration lifted the sanctions in January after Deripaska agreed to reduce his ownership stake in the Moscow-based company, the world’s second-largest aluminum manufacturer, from 70% to less than 45%. But there was Kentucky-specific help needed, too. And that came only after Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell backed that decision despite large numbers of Republicans and Democrats who objected to allowing Rusal and its parent company En+ Group into the United States. The House voted to keep the sanctions 362-53, but the Senate fell three votes short of the 60 votes needed to end a filibuster. McConnell, along with Sen. Rand Paul, voted against the resolution. Two of the three votes needed to maintain the sanctions against goons like Deripaska came from senators representing a state into which his company was pumping money he'd obtained god knows where or how, and one of whom is the Majority Leader of the U.S. Senate into whose PAC Deripaska's partner dumped $3.5 million between 2015 and 2017. Oddly, one of the stories that has sunk like a stone over the past few years is the story of how much Russian ratfcking money went into Republican campaigns generally over the past few cycles. Again, nobody knows what the ultimate sources of this money may be, but since Russia is a thoroughgoing thieves' paradise, anybody's guess is as good as anybody else's. But only a fool believes in accidents any more."
"It seems that Kentucky Governor Matt Bevin was hot to build a new aluminum milling plant, but that the proposed location was not suitable for such a large operation. The cost of finding a new location drained the project's funds. And along came the Volga Bagmen to the rescue. Enter Rusal, a Russian aluminum company that until just three months ago was barred from doing business in the United States in part because of its ties to Deripaska. The Trump administration lifted the sanctions in January after Deripaska agreed to reduce his ownership stake in the Moscow-based company, the world’s second-largest aluminum manufacturer, from 70% to less than 45%. But there was Kentucky-specific help needed, too. And that came only after Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell backed that decision despite large numbers of Republicans and Democrats who objected to allowing Rusal and its parent company En+ Group into the United States. The House voted to keep the sanctions 362-53, but the Senate fell three votes short of the 60 votes needed to end a filibuster. McConnell, along with Sen. Rand Paul, voted against the resolution. Two of the three votes needed to maintain the sanctions against goons like Deripaska came from senators representing a state into which his company was pumping money he'd obtained god knows where or how, and one of whom is the Majority Leader of the U.S. Senate into whose PAC Deripaska's partner dumped $3.5 million between 2015 and 2017. Oddly, one of the stories that has sunk like a stone over the past few years is the story of how much Russian ratfcking money went into Republican campaigns generally over the past few cycles. Again, nobody knows what the ultimate sources of this money may be, but since Russia is a thoroughgoing thieves' paradise, anybody's guess is as good as anybody else's. But only a fool believes in accidents any more."
Something is really rotten in the state of Kentucky, and it's coming from Russia
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2019/4/24/1852770/-Something-is-really-rotten-in-the-state-of-Kentucky-and-it-s-coming-from-Russia?fbclid=IwAR2pfHRcZqxMa6eX735lQQofv-5zJ2XcOZ2crGHil-ilkBf3TXZVSwpTtNE
"The opinion editors back home in Kentucky are not really thrilled with the idea of the Russians getting an economic hold on the state. Not just the Russians, but the Russian mob. At the Louisville Courier Journal, Joseph Gerth is not too excited at the prospect that "by the middle of the year, we'll be in business with Oleg Deripaska, a buddy of Vladimir Putin." Kentucky is looking for $200 million from the Russian to invest in a $1.7 billion aluminum plant there. He goes on to describe Deripaska's "deep ties to Russian organized crime," and the allegations of Deripaska's violent, ruthless, criminal past in Russia. Gerth's angle is Republican Gov. Matt Bevin's support for this project—the state has already spent $15 million in the Braidy Industries aluminum plant, and how important getting this big project going for Bevin's re-election, as "there has been an air of suspicion surrounding the Braidy project as it has dragged on." It took the intervention of two other powerful Kentucky politicians to make it happen—Sens. Rand Paul and, most importantly, Mitch McConnell. Those two were among the three votes in the Senate that helped Donald Trump lift sanctions against Rusal, the aluminum company that will invest in the state which is partially owned by Deripaska. Or, as far as we know, "officially" partially owned. Things are fluid in Russian corporate structure. And you all remember Deripaska—he's good buddies and a former employer of Donald Trump's first campaign manager, Paul Manafort. The Trump/Manafort/Russia and specifically Deripaska (friend of Putin!) connection is deep and complicated and at the heart of the NO COLLUSION collusion that helped land Trump in the White House. Once again, all of this brings up one key question: how deep into Russia is McConnell? What does he owe Putin? He helped Russia get Trump into the White House by refusing to let the American government notify the public about and help states arm against Russian incursion in the 2016 election."
"The opinion editors back home in Kentucky are not really thrilled with the idea of the Russians getting an economic hold on the state. Not just the Russians, but the Russian mob. At the Louisville Courier Journal, Joseph Gerth is not too excited at the prospect that "by the middle of the year, we'll be in business with Oleg Deripaska, a buddy of Vladimir Putin." Kentucky is looking for $200 million from the Russian to invest in a $1.7 billion aluminum plant there. He goes on to describe Deripaska's "deep ties to Russian organized crime," and the allegations of Deripaska's violent, ruthless, criminal past in Russia. Gerth's angle is Republican Gov. Matt Bevin's support for this project—the state has already spent $15 million in the Braidy Industries aluminum plant, and how important getting this big project going for Bevin's re-election, as "there has been an air of suspicion surrounding the Braidy project as it has dragged on." It took the intervention of two other powerful Kentucky politicians to make it happen—Sens. Rand Paul and, most importantly, Mitch McConnell. Those two were among the three votes in the Senate that helped Donald Trump lift sanctions against Rusal, the aluminum company that will invest in the state which is partially owned by Deripaska. Or, as far as we know, "officially" partially owned. Things are fluid in Russian corporate structure. And you all remember Deripaska—he's good buddies and a former employer of Donald Trump's first campaign manager, Paul Manafort. The Trump/Manafort/Russia and specifically Deripaska (friend of Putin!) connection is deep and complicated and at the heart of the NO COLLUSION collusion that helped land Trump in the White House. Once again, all of this brings up one key question: how deep into Russia is McConnell? What does he owe Putin? He helped Russia get Trump into the White House by refusing to let the American government notify the public about and help states arm against Russian incursion in the 2016 election."
Government Memo: Maria Butina Claimed Influence Over Trump Cabinet Pick
https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/butina-influence-secretary-state-sentencing-memo-825666/?fbclid=IwAR3qu9dEKqdAgSzvILqbr8OrqSh3gBiPJstGc-rUyjZ__NK8bLNfl6G8lnA
"In the case of Maria Butina — the Russian national who pleaded guilty to conspiracy charges for attempting to create a backchannel between Moscow and the Trump administration using the NRA as a conduit — the U.S. government is asking for a prison sentence of 18 months, followed by Butina’s immediate deportation. The government’s sentencing memo, filed Friday in federal court, offers striking details to support the claim that Butina was not just a naive and ambitious student looking to build up a professional network in Washington, D.C. It outlines, for example, a May 2015 meeting between Butina and then-Russian Ambassador Sergei Kislyak in which Butina reported on her progress making inroads with a GOP presidential campaign. (At the time, according to her social media posts, Butina had been interested in the campaign of Scott Walker, then Wisconsin governor.) The government asserts that Butina “acted at the direction and control” of a “Russian Official,” previously identified as Alexander Torshin. Butina, the memo states, was “fully aware that he reported to the rest of the Russian government and her actions were ultimately for the benefit of the foreign government.” According to the memo, Butina even “voiced worry that others in the Russian government would steal the initiative” to establish a backchannel out from under her. Perhaps most disturbing, the memo highlights Butina’s claim that she was using her contacts within Trump World in late 2016 to help vet the new administration’s choice for secretary of state. The memo states that Butina “provided the Russian Official with the name of an individual she claimed was being considered for secretary of state” on November 11th, 2016. “She asked the Russian Official to seek the input of the Russian government on the name she provided and told him, ‘our opinion will be taken into consideration’ in the United States.’” The memo offers no further detail on the substance of this explosive claim."
"In the case of Maria Butina — the Russian national who pleaded guilty to conspiracy charges for attempting to create a backchannel between Moscow and the Trump administration using the NRA as a conduit — the U.S. government is asking for a prison sentence of 18 months, followed by Butina’s immediate deportation. The government’s sentencing memo, filed Friday in federal court, offers striking details to support the claim that Butina was not just a naive and ambitious student looking to build up a professional network in Washington, D.C. It outlines, for example, a May 2015 meeting between Butina and then-Russian Ambassador Sergei Kislyak in which Butina reported on her progress making inroads with a GOP presidential campaign. (At the time, according to her social media posts, Butina had been interested in the campaign of Scott Walker, then Wisconsin governor.) The government asserts that Butina “acted at the direction and control” of a “Russian Official,” previously identified as Alexander Torshin. Butina, the memo states, was “fully aware that he reported to the rest of the Russian government and her actions were ultimately for the benefit of the foreign government.” According to the memo, Butina even “voiced worry that others in the Russian government would steal the initiative” to establish a backchannel out from under her. Perhaps most disturbing, the memo highlights Butina’s claim that she was using her contacts within Trump World in late 2016 to help vet the new administration’s choice for secretary of state. The memo states that Butina “provided the Russian Official with the name of an individual she claimed was being considered for secretary of state” on November 11th, 2016. “She asked the Russian Official to seek the input of the Russian government on the name she provided and told him, ‘our opinion will be taken into consideration’ in the United States.’” The memo offers no further detail on the substance of this explosive claim."
Trump Campaign Was Deeply Co-opted By Russian Influence Operation
https://talkingpointsmemo.com/muckraker/trump-campaign-was-deeply-co-opted-by-russian-influence-operation?fbclid=IwAR3bFBOd3a-EvWZlA6L-2gb869hJBbJF5GxksokA0qnAOSqtzHYh8GCwYtI
"The report details how over several months in the summer of 2016, different Russian intelligence operatives were able to alternately use the operation as an instrument for its own ends, receive inside information on the inner workings of the Trump campaign, and meet with its top officials. Mueller documents numerous covert and overt attempts by people and organizations associated with the Russian government and Russian intelligence to influence the campaign. In some cases, campaign officials did not know that they were interacting with Russian spies and were being used an instrument of the influence operation. At other times, Mueller says that campaign officials knew who they were dealing with and were “receptive to the offer” of assistance."
"The report details how over several months in the summer of 2016, different Russian intelligence operatives were able to alternately use the operation as an instrument for its own ends, receive inside information on the inner workings of the Trump campaign, and meet with its top officials. Mueller documents numerous covert and overt attempts by people and organizations associated with the Russian government and Russian intelligence to influence the campaign. In some cases, campaign officials did not know that they were interacting with Russian spies and were being used an instrument of the influence operation. At other times, Mueller says that campaign officials knew who they were dealing with and were “receptive to the offer” of assistance."
Mueller Redactions Raise Questions About Stone, Trump, and the “No Collusion” Claim
https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2019/04/mueller-redactions-raise-questions-about-stone-trump-and-the-no-collusion-claim/?fbclid=IwAR20d6UBEIH2_3C4XwV8EFGS1QFDW01Lt7xatBX3iZKbedFl_U_tIuyXy-s
"The report shows the many ways Trump has lied about his team’s contacts with Russia and about Vladimir Putin’s attack on the 2016 election—an attacked aimed at helping Trump win the presidency. Trump lied to the public when he said as a candidate that he had nothing to do with Russia, though he had been privately negotiating to develop a major tower project in Moscow."
"The report shows the many ways Trump has lied about his team’s contacts with Russia and about Vladimir Putin’s attack on the 2016 election—an attacked aimed at helping Trump win the presidency. Trump lied to the public when he said as a candidate that he had nothing to do with Russia, though he had been privately negotiating to develop a major tower project in Moscow."
Wednesday, May 8, 2019
Mueller Report Blows Up Barr’s ‘No Collusion=No Obstruction’ Canard
https://talkingpointsmemo.com/muckraker/mueller-report-blows-up-barrs-no-collusionno-obstruction-canard?fbclid=IwAR0qAHXKNnK5pSgxzXu2oNyUbEPRzUNN_vpYBdcSkI2fprIMYU_VrHXKskU
"According to Mueller’s report, the perceived criminal liabilities of the 2016 Trump Tower meeting — where his inner circle met with Kremlin-tied individuals — also may have motivated some of Trump’s allegedly obstructive conduct. Mueller raised that concern specifically when discussing Trump attempts in the summer of 2017 to convince Attorney General Jeff Sessions to unrecuse himself from the Russian probe and his efforts to install a new attorney general who could oversee the probe. Mueller pointed to the public release of the emails disclosing the Trump Tower meeting that directly preceded many of Trump’s actions and how it was “evident that the investigation into the campaign now included the President’s son, son-in-law, and former campaign manager.” Mueller specifically cited comments Trump made about wanting an attorney general like Eric Holder or Bobby Kennedy, who, in his mind, took greater lengths than Sessions to protect their presidents. “A reasonable inference from those statements and the President’s actions is that the President believed that an unrecused Attorney General would play a protective role and could shield the President from the ongoing Russia investigation,” Mueller said. Finally, there was Trump’s desire to protect himself from the obstruction inquiry that may have motivated him to further meddle in it, Mueller said. Trump ramped up his efforts to fire the special counsel after the first public reports of an obstruction inquiry, Mueller noted, and that fear also may have driven his request that Sessions publicly announce that he was narrowing the probe to only future election interference."
"According to Mueller’s report, the perceived criminal liabilities of the 2016 Trump Tower meeting — where his inner circle met with Kremlin-tied individuals — also may have motivated some of Trump’s allegedly obstructive conduct. Mueller raised that concern specifically when discussing Trump attempts in the summer of 2017 to convince Attorney General Jeff Sessions to unrecuse himself from the Russian probe and his efforts to install a new attorney general who could oversee the probe. Mueller pointed to the public release of the emails disclosing the Trump Tower meeting that directly preceded many of Trump’s actions and how it was “evident that the investigation into the campaign now included the President’s son, son-in-law, and former campaign manager.” Mueller specifically cited comments Trump made about wanting an attorney general like Eric Holder or Bobby Kennedy, who, in his mind, took greater lengths than Sessions to protect their presidents. “A reasonable inference from those statements and the President’s actions is that the President believed that an unrecused Attorney General would play a protective role and could shield the President from the ongoing Russia investigation,” Mueller said. Finally, there was Trump’s desire to protect himself from the obstruction inquiry that may have motivated him to further meddle in it, Mueller said. Trump ramped up his efforts to fire the special counsel after the first public reports of an obstruction inquiry, Mueller noted, and that fear also may have driven his request that Sessions publicly announce that he was narrowing the probe to only future election interference."
The Mueller Report Is an Impeachment Referral
https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2019/04/mueller-report-impeachment-referral/587509/?fbclid=IwAR1gWTL1RTDsSWjZG4uzGg-QL_ahde2PR4m8waCrWPtOLoMbhj9kY30h_mA
"But its most important implication can be summarized in a single sentence: There is sufficient evidence that President Donald Trump obstructed justice to merit impeachment hearings. A basic principle lies at the heart of the American criminal-justice system: The accused is entitled to a fair defense and a chance to clear his name. Every American is entitled to this protection, from the humblest citizen all the way up to the chief executive. And that, Mueller explained in his report, is why criminal allegations against a sitting president should be considered by Congress and not the Justice Department. The Mueller report, in short, is an impeachment referral."
"But its most important implication can be summarized in a single sentence: There is sufficient evidence that President Donald Trump obstructed justice to merit impeachment hearings. A basic principle lies at the heart of the American criminal-justice system: The accused is entitled to a fair defense and a chance to clear his name. Every American is entitled to this protection, from the humblest citizen all the way up to the chief executive. And that, Mueller explained in his report, is why criminal allegations against a sitting president should be considered by Congress and not the Justice Department. The Mueller report, in short, is an impeachment referral."
Trump thinks the Supreme Court can save him from impeachment (it can’t)
http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/trump-thinks-the-supreme-court-can-save-him-impeachment-it-cant?fbclid=IwAR16uu9TQYdG-v6tj2q65KxzMdWhhjn0P4D1ylYU6OArMAnbrIHmMCIVMaA
"Trump could “head to the U.S. Supreme Court,” but there’s literally nothing justices could do for him, even if they wanted to. The judiciary has no authority to help or hinder the impeachment proceedings. The president doesn’t know that, and while that’s embarrassing, he nevertheless seems eager to let everyone know just how confused he is. In the process, Trump is also offering a peek into his perspective on problem-solving. When he finds himself in a jam, the president seems to instinctively look for a fixer: Trump has spent his tenure assuming that everyone from his attorney general to his congressional allies to his White House counsel can simply make his problems go away for him. As of this morning, the president seems to think the Supreme Court can even rescue him from the threat of impeachment. It cannot."
"Trump could “head to the U.S. Supreme Court,” but there’s literally nothing justices could do for him, even if they wanted to. The judiciary has no authority to help or hinder the impeachment proceedings. The president doesn’t know that, and while that’s embarrassing, he nevertheless seems eager to let everyone know just how confused he is. In the process, Trump is also offering a peek into his perspective on problem-solving. When he finds himself in a jam, the president seems to instinctively look for a fixer: Trump has spent his tenure assuming that everyone from his attorney general to his congressional allies to his White House counsel can simply make his problems go away for him. As of this morning, the president seems to think the Supreme Court can even rescue him from the threat of impeachment. It cannot."
The Mueller Report Is a Challenge to Congress: Save the Republic. Impeach the President.
https://www.esquire.com/news-politics/politics/a27198446/mueller-report-congress-impeachment/?fbclid=IwAR1Mb0brKHiqG21ExastcR4Fsr1m8ZsyQlV12pBg5nAiZc8p_L1Sezmck0c
"The results are in the report released by Robert Mueller and his investigators on Thursday. It is a document that shows clearly that every guardian of the republic—especially including the people themselves—surrendered it to an international criminal cabal without firing hardly a shot. Also in that report is a challenge: there is one last chance to avert the threat, and it lies with the United States Congress, and with the people who elected its members. Mueller has dropped it all in the country's lap. He did what he could. Subpoena them all. Put them under oath and on television. Begin impeachment inquiries on Monday. (You can have the weekend. I'm generous.) Fumigate the entire government because, what we have now, and what Mueller illustrated, is the political equivalent of a plague cell."
"The results are in the report released by Robert Mueller and his investigators on Thursday. It is a document that shows clearly that every guardian of the republic—especially including the people themselves—surrendered it to an international criminal cabal without firing hardly a shot. Also in that report is a challenge: there is one last chance to avert the threat, and it lies with the United States Congress, and with the people who elected its members. Mueller has dropped it all in the country's lap. He did what he could. Subpoena them all. Put them under oath and on television. Begin impeachment inquiries on Monday. (You can have the weekend. I'm generous.) Fumigate the entire government because, what we have now, and what Mueller illustrated, is the political equivalent of a plague cell."
Without Impeachment, We’re Lowering Standards for All Future Presidents
https://truthout.org/articles/without-impeachment-were-lowering-standards-for-all-future-presidents/
"Once in office, Donald Trump serially obstructed justice by interfering with the Mueller investigation and demanding that his attorneys and advisers lie about his conduct and manufacture evidence to obscure his conduct. His attempted disruption of the investigation into then-national security adviser Michael Flynn; the firing of then-FBI director James Comey; his efforts to fire Robert Mueller and derail the investigation; his insistence that then-White House counsel Don McGahn lie about the efforts to remove or disrupt Mueller; and his efforts to disrupt the gathering of testimony from former campaign chairman Paul Manafort and former Trump attorney Michael Cohen individually and collectively blow right past the constitutional standard of “high crimes and misdemeanors.” These were deeply damaging bold-face crimes committed in the presence of testifying witnesses. Trump can be prosecuted, impeached or both for committing them even if no underlying crime was established in the report. “You don’t even have to be convicted of a crime to lose your job in this constitutional republic if the Senate determines that your conduct as a public official is clearly out of bounds in your role,” said none other than Senator Lindsey Graham in 1999, “because impeachment is not about punishment. Impeachment is about cleansing the office. Impeachment is about restoring honor and integrity to the office"."
"Once in office, Donald Trump serially obstructed justice by interfering with the Mueller investigation and demanding that his attorneys and advisers lie about his conduct and manufacture evidence to obscure his conduct. His attempted disruption of the investigation into then-national security adviser Michael Flynn; the firing of then-FBI director James Comey; his efforts to fire Robert Mueller and derail the investigation; his insistence that then-White House counsel Don McGahn lie about the efforts to remove or disrupt Mueller; and his efforts to disrupt the gathering of testimony from former campaign chairman Paul Manafort and former Trump attorney Michael Cohen individually and collectively blow right past the constitutional standard of “high crimes and misdemeanors.” These were deeply damaging bold-face crimes committed in the presence of testifying witnesses. Trump can be prosecuted, impeached or both for committing them even if no underlying crime was established in the report. “You don’t even have to be convicted of a crime to lose your job in this constitutional republic if the Senate determines that your conduct as a public official is clearly out of bounds in your role,” said none other than Senator Lindsey Graham in 1999, “because impeachment is not about punishment. Impeachment is about cleansing the office. Impeachment is about restoring honor and integrity to the office"."
Roadmap for impeachment: Mueller's purpose is clear
https://www.salon.com/2019/04/19/muellers-report-has-a-clear-purpose-its-a-roadmap-for-impeachment/?fbclid=IwAR3_mb-VU5_ZNN9kt8NwSeGJCtZ_0Kj2xjr3EbCS7BpQXuTc4wks208ctVU
"This dry recitation of the facts in Mueller's report , as dramatic as they are, was never meant to be the last word. It is an impeachment referral, and Democrats must take it up and do what the Constitution requires. If it fails, so be it. But at least the people will know that some leaders are willing to stand up in public and do the right thing. After reading page after page showing Trump and his lackeys refusing to ever do that, even once, it's pretty clear that's not an issue the Republican Party can ever run on again."
"This dry recitation of the facts in Mueller's report , as dramatic as they are, was never meant to be the last word. It is an impeachment referral, and Democrats must take it up and do what the Constitution requires. If it fails, so be it. But at least the people will know that some leaders are willing to stand up in public and do the right thing. After reading page after page showing Trump and his lackeys refusing to ever do that, even once, it's pretty clear that's not an issue the Republican Party can ever run on again."
Trump Says He’d Turn to Supreme Court to Block Impeachment. That’s Not How It Works.
https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2019/04/trump-impeachment-supreme-court/?fbclid=IwAR36uHiamYRQ_ohSJFSf9Wk98VL6KDzYZ95j0fDax02eLKLAOmrFh8nhjhQ
"Contrary to Trump’s thinking, Congress does indeed have the power to begin impeachment proceedings. Moreover, the Supreme Court would not be able to block Congress from the process, as legal experts quickly noted."
"Contrary to Trump’s thinking, Congress does indeed have the power to begin impeachment proceedings. Moreover, the Supreme Court would not be able to block Congress from the process, as legal experts quickly noted."
No More Excuses. Donald Trump Must Be Impeached.
https://truthout.org/articles/no-more-excuses-donald-trump-must-be-impeached/
"Over the course of more than 400 scalding pages, the Mueller report details the parallel and often cooperative course traveled by Donald Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign and the sophisticated Russian operation devoted to his victory. Mueller’s report also lays out the myriad ways Trump obstructed justice through his ham-fisted attempts to either take over the investigation or obliterate it entirely. There is but one conclusion to reach after reading this exhaustively prepared report: Donald Trump must be impeached. There is no more time for vacillation, and no room for doubt. The report is divided into two distinct hemispheres: Volume I deals with the Russian attack on the 2016 presidential election and the question of Trump campaign participation in that attack, and Volume II deals with the manner in which Donald Trump actively obstructed the investigation into Russian election meddling. Many of the report’s details have been in the public sphere for months and even years. Having it all in one place, however, gives the document the depth and gravity of gruesome history. There are also plenty of new and alarming surprises. It is atomically detailed and deeply sourced, ultimately conservative in its conclusions regarding the law but profoundly damning nonetheless. Donald Trump was right to fear its release"
"Over the course of more than 400 scalding pages, the Mueller report details the parallel and often cooperative course traveled by Donald Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign and the sophisticated Russian operation devoted to his victory. Mueller’s report also lays out the myriad ways Trump obstructed justice through his ham-fisted attempts to either take over the investigation or obliterate it entirely. There is but one conclusion to reach after reading this exhaustively prepared report: Donald Trump must be impeached. There is no more time for vacillation, and no room for doubt. The report is divided into two distinct hemispheres: Volume I deals with the Russian attack on the 2016 presidential election and the question of Trump campaign participation in that attack, and Volume II deals with the manner in which Donald Trump actively obstructed the investigation into Russian election meddling. Many of the report’s details have been in the public sphere for months and even years. Having it all in one place, however, gives the document the depth and gravity of gruesome history. There are also plenty of new and alarming surprises. It is atomically detailed and deeply sourced, ultimately conservative in its conclusions regarding the law but profoundly damning nonetheless. Donald Trump was right to fear its release"
William Barr Thinks Donald Trump Is Above the Law
https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2019/05/william-barr-donald-trump-media-defense-obstruction-of-justice.html?fbclid=IwAR0dK74qs44Jy1_1Txc9RJN2WSk_oD5mYI2nebzfYWILP3-XjvlHyFl0rpw
"for the attorney general to expressly adopt the view that the president can’t obstruct justice if he’s doing it because the press is annoying him is an appalling next step in the descent into establishing an imperial presidency, unchecked by either Congress or a free media."
"for the attorney general to expressly adopt the view that the president can’t obstruct justice if he’s doing it because the press is annoying him is an appalling next step in the descent into establishing an imperial presidency, unchecked by either Congress or a free media."
Mueller’s Damning Portrait of Trump
https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2019/04/muellers-damning-portrait-of-trump/587521/?fbclid=IwAR2mUtogV4Gor5ZlfyttEjyNnYzGZqKBGdi4qZR9dw9lslR-pqtbzzAq_B0
"The president lies wantonly and profligately—to the press, to his aides, and above all to the public. He tries to interfere in investigations. He acts as if he has something to hide. He reacts petulantly to being told no, and repeatedly pressures staffers even after being rejected. Those words are not taken from Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s report, but they might as well be. Over 448 pages, the report sketches a portrait of the president as chronically dishonest and unfit for office. Then it fills the portrait in, with painstaking and meticulously footnoted cross-hatching and shading."
"The president lies wantonly and profligately—to the press, to his aides, and above all to the public. He tries to interfere in investigations. He acts as if he has something to hide. He reacts petulantly to being told no, and repeatedly pressures staffers even after being rejected. Those words are not taken from Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s report, but they might as well be. Over 448 pages, the report sketches a portrait of the president as chronically dishonest and unfit for office. Then it fills the portrait in, with painstaking and meticulously footnoted cross-hatching and shading."
The Time for Impeachment Is Here
https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-features/trump-impeachment-time-congress-824886/?fbclid=IwAR0k2k6MXYxDk_q4cCBcYamhrdpvSBmm-zxaCAqRTIfiv3YtDG1ZcYAAEoQ
"Amid the black lines of its redactions, Mueller’s report details how a hostile foreign nation successfully used the current President of the United States as a vessel to achieve its aims of undermining American democracy, deploying its information warfare and illegal interference schemes to help him get where he is now. In the second volume of his 448-page report, Mueller details at least 10 instances of the president’s obstruction of justice, including Trump’s firing of FBI director James Comey and his frequent, colicky outbursts about the Special Counsel’s investigation. It all illustrated that Barr plainly lied when he cleared Trump of any such behavior."
"Amid the black lines of its redactions, Mueller’s report details how a hostile foreign nation successfully used the current President of the United States as a vessel to achieve its aims of undermining American democracy, deploying its information warfare and illegal interference schemes to help him get where he is now. In the second volume of his 448-page report, Mueller details at least 10 instances of the president’s obstruction of justice, including Trump’s firing of FBI director James Comey and his frequent, colicky outbursts about the Special Counsel’s investigation. It all illustrated that Barr plainly lied when he cleared Trump of any such behavior."
Former Trump Transition Official Calls For Impeachment: ‘This Is Serious Stuff’
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/jw-verret-impeach-trump_n_5cc03f8fe4b01b6b3efaad54?fbclid=IwAR1byaVkqHLKVdYsSf98dGNDAGBk5VTWRX-hl76UXQHibcKTb9Z6RScKA_s
"J.W. Verret, a George Mason University law professor who served on President Donald Trump’s transition team, is calling on Congress to initiate impeachment proceedings in the wake of special counsel Robert Mueller’s report. “This is serious stuff,” Verret told CNN’s Don Lemon in an interview Tuesday. “The Mueller report I think is something you can’t look away from. I mean you have to admit it: The emperor has no clothes.” Verret, a lifelong Republican, was deputy director of economic policy on Trump’s presidential transition team beginning in August 2016. He quit after just two months, he wrote in an op-ed published Tuesday in The Atlantic, citing concerns over Trump’s views on immigration, financial regulation and Russia. Over time, his view of Trump evolved from distasteful to disastrous. “The Mueller report was that tipping point for me,” Verret wrote, “and it should be for Republican and independent voters, and for Republicans in Congress"."
"J.W. Verret, a George Mason University law professor who served on President Donald Trump’s transition team, is calling on Congress to initiate impeachment proceedings in the wake of special counsel Robert Mueller’s report. “This is serious stuff,” Verret told CNN’s Don Lemon in an interview Tuesday. “The Mueller report I think is something you can’t look away from. I mean you have to admit it: The emperor has no clothes.” Verret, a lifelong Republican, was deputy director of economic policy on Trump’s presidential transition team beginning in August 2016. He quit after just two months, he wrote in an op-ed published Tuesday in The Atlantic, citing concerns over Trump’s views on immigration, financial regulation and Russia. Over time, his view of Trump evolved from distasteful to disastrous. “The Mueller report was that tipping point for me,” Verret wrote, “and it should be for Republican and independent voters, and for Republicans in Congress"."
Congress Should Impeach William Barr
http://nymag.com/intelligencer/2019/04/impeach-attorney-general-william-barr.html?fbclid=IwAR23taqTHMYkmK7fwtbHkeC6B7V4Xm4VGrpOUUAZhJ6KLIDuO-j7Bmln_L0
"There is no department in government in which mere norms, not laws, are all that stand between democracy as we know it and a banana republic. Barr has revealed his complete unfitness for this awesome task. Nearly two more years of this Trumpian henchman wielding power over federal law enforcement is more weight than the rickety Constitution can bear."
"There is no department in government in which mere norms, not laws, are all that stand between democracy as we know it and a banana republic. Barr has revealed his complete unfitness for this awesome task. Nearly two more years of this Trumpian henchman wielding power over federal law enforcement is more weight than the rickety Constitution can bear."
Mueller's report: A profile of a president willing to sell out his country
https://www.salon.com/2019/04/22/muellers-report-a-profile-of-a-president-willing-to-sell-out-his-country/?fbclid=IwAR0-uma5lZOy4HJiagOHmqzLnopB5s7gg_73moariHfxCgv1YO96kGswSP8
"The case Mueller lays out for obstruction and possibly impeachment is compelling. It paints the portrait of a rogue president so desperate to avoid the probing eye of investigation, in some cases for concerns outside of the Russian matter, that he flails about and often breaks the law. In one instance, Trump raged over the perceived weakness of his former Attorney General Jeff Sessions, rambling at length about past attorneys general he believed were loyal to their presidents and protected them from prosecution, saying he needed an AG willing to break the law and inform him of investigations. Overall, what was found within the report is a damning incrimination of a president willing to sell out his country, turn his back on duty and loyalty, and win at all costs, even if that meant cooperating with a foreign power in undermining free and fair elections. What’s more, it tells the tale of a man so unfit for office that those around him are constantly betraying his orders in an attempt to avoid their own prosecution. Despite William Barr’s irresponsible spinning, this is the story of a prosecutor communicating to the American people and their representatives that the evidence is clear and critical. There are elements of both sections, conspiracy and obstruction, where Mueller was stymied by either eyewitnesses stonewalling or ongoing investigations yet to yield information, but Congress should act on this investigation and launch their own inquiries, more than likely opening the door to impeachment."
"The case Mueller lays out for obstruction and possibly impeachment is compelling. It paints the portrait of a rogue president so desperate to avoid the probing eye of investigation, in some cases for concerns outside of the Russian matter, that he flails about and often breaks the law. In one instance, Trump raged over the perceived weakness of his former Attorney General Jeff Sessions, rambling at length about past attorneys general he believed were loyal to their presidents and protected them from prosecution, saying he needed an AG willing to break the law and inform him of investigations. Overall, what was found within the report is a damning incrimination of a president willing to sell out his country, turn his back on duty and loyalty, and win at all costs, even if that meant cooperating with a foreign power in undermining free and fair elections. What’s more, it tells the tale of a man so unfit for office that those around him are constantly betraying his orders in an attempt to avoid their own prosecution. Despite William Barr’s irresponsible spinning, this is the story of a prosecutor communicating to the American people and their representatives that the evidence is clear and critical. There are elements of both sections, conspiracy and obstruction, where Mueller was stymied by either eyewitnesses stonewalling or ongoing investigations yet to yield information, but Congress should act on this investigation and launch their own inquiries, more than likely opening the door to impeachment."
William Barr Has Failed America
https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2019/04/william-barr-robert-mueller-report-address.html?fbclid=IwAR1I4I4GHRASAhKnvg4WkarJNO0B9BMvNUnq71MVVdZNwa5hlsn08xod7Uw
"The attorney general did what Trump hired him to do. In the process, he has disgraced his office in ways we are only beginning to understand. Barr joined the DOJ too late to quash the investigation. But he is doing his best to shield the Trump from its findings. Thursday morning will be remembered as one of the most shameful chapters in the history of the Department of Justice."
"The attorney general did what Trump hired him to do. In the process, he has disgraced his office in ways we are only beginning to understand. Barr joined the DOJ too late to quash the investigation. But he is doing his best to shield the Trump from its findings. Thursday morning will be remembered as one of the most shameful chapters in the history of the Department of Justice."
The Mueller Report: A Detailed Account of Trump’s Lies and Misconduct
https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2019/04/mueller-report-donald-trump-russia-lies/?fbclid=IwAR3WFlbTTQpP68MMIG4CHxNN848I268QMpU9SCfvZRKVZxlwHS1udz12PVg
"The long-awaited report by special counsel Robert Mueller confirms what we already knew: that Donald Trump and his campaign privately interacted with Russia while Putin’s regime was preparing—and then carrying out—an attack on the 2016 US presidential election; that Russia’s goal (as early as the start of 2016) was to help Trump become president; that Trump and his campaign had good reason to believe Putin’s regime was behind the ongoing assault (but kept insisting Moscow was doing nothing); and that Trump and folks in his orbit have lied about much of this. The basics of the Trump-Russia scandal were well established long before Mueller concluded his investigation, because so much of it had taken place in public view—Trump repeatedly echoing Russia’s false claims of innocence, for example. Other elements had been exposed by media reports—including Trump’s pursuit of a secret Moscow project while he was running for president, as well as the June 2016 Trump tower meeting, during which top Trump aides gathered to participate in what they were told was a Moscow plot to help Trump get elected. Numerous lies had already been exposed, including Trump saying he had nothing to do with Russia, and he and Donald Trump Jr. claiming that the Trump tower meeting had only been about adoption policy. Yet the Mueller report—while, as expected, not revealing any further criminality beyond the indictments already brought during the investigation—reinforces the case that much wrongdoing occurred on the part of Trump and his crew."
"The long-awaited report by special counsel Robert Mueller confirms what we already knew: that Donald Trump and his campaign privately interacted with Russia while Putin’s regime was preparing—and then carrying out—an attack on the 2016 US presidential election; that Russia’s goal (as early as the start of 2016) was to help Trump become president; that Trump and his campaign had good reason to believe Putin’s regime was behind the ongoing assault (but kept insisting Moscow was doing nothing); and that Trump and folks in his orbit have lied about much of this. The basics of the Trump-Russia scandal were well established long before Mueller concluded his investigation, because so much of it had taken place in public view—Trump repeatedly echoing Russia’s false claims of innocence, for example. Other elements had been exposed by media reports—including Trump’s pursuit of a secret Moscow project while he was running for president, as well as the June 2016 Trump tower meeting, during which top Trump aides gathered to participate in what they were told was a Moscow plot to help Trump get elected. Numerous lies had already been exposed, including Trump saying he had nothing to do with Russia, and he and Donald Trump Jr. claiming that the Trump tower meeting had only been about adoption policy. Yet the Mueller report—while, as expected, not revealing any further criminality beyond the indictments already brought during the investigation—reinforces the case that much wrongdoing occurred on the part of Trump and his crew."
Mueller's actual report revealed Barr to be a lying, scheming Trump shill
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2019/4/19/1851631/-Mueller-s-actual-report-revealed-Barr-to-be-a-lying-scheming-Trump-shill?fbclid=IwAR0GbJNFmfv5fOELgtXQJG5HwLnkEc2M4z79SUZzqpdHebhFxoYF0_xMIhg
"Let’s just say, Barr’s account didn’t fare well. Actually, Barr’s account was a cover up, full stop. In fact, Barr has proven to be a lying, scheming shill for Donald Trump. He proved that through his press conference before the release and he proved that through the way he manipulated Mueller’s words to give them different meaning. Let’s do a side-by-side comparison of three of Barr’s excerpts to Mueller’s actual report, counting down to the most egregious of them all."
"Let’s just say, Barr’s account didn’t fare well. Actually, Barr’s account was a cover up, full stop. In fact, Barr has proven to be a lying, scheming shill for Donald Trump. He proved that through his press conference before the release and he proved that through the way he manipulated Mueller’s words to give them different meaning. Let’s do a side-by-side comparison of three of Barr’s excerpts to Mueller’s actual report, counting down to the most egregious of them all."
Barr: It's Not a Crime” for Trump to Demand Staffers Lie to Investigators
https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2019/05/barr-not-a-crime-for-trump-to-demand-staffers-lie-to-investigators?fbclid=IwAR1cJ8FwSm50PaYPjYuX5GQwnuIxGj4uad2xqPLNWW552qk-zPwXrM2R2fU
"Those fears were not at all dispelled when Barr declined to prosecute Trump for obstruction, despite the 10 incidents laid out by Robert Mueller in which the president tried to do just that, or when he claimed that Trump couldn’t have had corrupt intent, when Mueller actually found numerous compromising episodes involving Russia and the Trump campaign that the president would have preferred to keep hidden. In case there was any remaining doubt that William Barr sees his job as protecting Donald Trump, his testimony before the Senate Judiciary committee on Wednesday—the first of two days of public hearings on Capitol Hill—made perfectly clear where the attorney general’s allegiance lies. Even in a case where Trump literally instructed a White House lawyer to lie on the record (obstruction) to hide the fact that he tried to fire the man investigating him (obstruction)."
"Those fears were not at all dispelled when Barr declined to prosecute Trump for obstruction, despite the 10 incidents laid out by Robert Mueller in which the president tried to do just that, or when he claimed that Trump couldn’t have had corrupt intent, when Mueller actually found numerous compromising episodes involving Russia and the Trump campaign that the president would have preferred to keep hidden. In case there was any remaining doubt that William Barr sees his job as protecting Donald Trump, his testimony before the Senate Judiciary committee on Wednesday—the first of two days of public hearings on Capitol Hill—made perfectly clear where the attorney general’s allegiance lies. Even in a case where Trump literally instructed a White House lawyer to lie on the record (obstruction) to hide the fact that he tried to fire the man investigating him (obstruction)."
Monday, May 6, 2019
Trump Lies Again About ‘China Paying Tariffs’ To The U.S. Treasury
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/trump-lies-china-paying-tariffs-to-usa_n_5ccf8704e4b0e4d757347bda
"In fact, American consumers absorb the cost of tariffs on imported Chinese goods by paying higher prices for the products. The added costs are essentially a regressive tax on consumers because they’re not linked to income levels."
"In fact, American consumers absorb the cost of tariffs on imported Chinese goods by paying higher prices for the products. The added costs are essentially a regressive tax on consumers because they’re not linked to income levels."
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